Rare Complications of Cervical Spine Surgery: Pseudomeningocoele.
Abstract
This study was a retrospective, multicenter cohort study.Rare complications of cervical
spine surgery are inherently difficult to investigate. Pseudomeningocoele (PMC), an
abnormal collection of cerebrospinal fluid that communicates with the subarachnoid
space, is one such complication. In order to evaluate and better understand the incidence,
presentation, treatment, and outcome of PMC following cervical spine surgery, we conducted
a multicenter study to pool our collective experience.This study was a retrospective,
multicenter cohort study of patients who underwent cervical spine surgery at any level(s)
from C2 to C7, inclusive; were over 18 years of age; and experienced a postoperative
PMC.Thirteen patients (0.08%) developed a postoperative PMC, 6 (46.2%) of whom were
female. They had an average age of 48.2 years and stayed in hospital a mean of 11.2
days. Three patients were current smokers, 3 previous smokers, 5 had never smoked,
and 2 had unknown smoking status. The majority, 10 (76.9%), were associated with posterior
surgery, whereas 3 (23.1%) occurred after an anterior procedure. Myelopathy was the
most common indication for operations that were complicated by PMC (46%). Seven patients
(53%) required a surgical procedure to address the PMC, whereas the remaining 6 were
treated conservatively. All PMCs ultimately resolved or were successfully treated
with no residual effects.PMC is a rare complication of cervical surgery with an incidence
of less than 0.1%. They prolong hospital stay. PMCs occurred more frequently in association
with posterior approaches. Approximately half of PMCs required surgery and all ultimately
resolved without residual neurologic or other long-term effects.
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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/19586Published Version (Please cite this version)
10.1177/2192568216687769Publication Info
Ailon, Tamir; Smith, Justin S; Nassr, Ahmad; Smith, Zachary A; Hsu, Wellington K;
Fehlings, Michael G; ... Shaffrey, Christopher (2017). Rare Complications of Cervical Spine Surgery: Pseudomeningocoele. Global spine journal, 7(1 Suppl). pp. 109S-114S. 10.1177/2192568216687769. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/19586.This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise. To cite this
article, please review & use the official citation provided by the journal.
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Show full item recordScholars@Duke
Christopher Ignatius Shaffrey
Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
I have more than 25 years of experience treating patients of all ages with spinal
disorders. I have had an interest in the management of spinal disorders since starting
my medical education. I performed residencies in both orthopaedic surgery and neurosurgery
to gain a comprehensive understanding of the entire range of spinal disorders. My
goal has been to find innovative ways to manage the range of spinal conditions, straightforward
to complex. I have a focus on managing patients with complex s
Khoi Duc Than
Associate Professor of Neurosurgery
I chose to pursue neurosurgery as a career because of my fascination with the human
nervous system. In medical school, I developed a keen interest in the diseases that
afflict the brain and spine and gravitated towards the only field where I could help
treat these diseases with my own hands. I focus on disorders of the spine where my
first goal is to help patients avoid surgery if at all possible. If surgery is needed,
I treat patients using the most advanced minimally invasive techniques availa
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